Breakers step up

Injuries and adversity are tough to deal with, even when you’re undefeated and the No. 1-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 1.

The Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo team had to deal with both during Saturday afternoon’s home showdown against No. 2 Mater Dei.

The Breakers played their second game without junior standout Sophia Lucas (finger). Not only that, but senior team captain Claire Sonne picked up two quick exclusions by the second quarter. Another senior captain, Bella Baldridge, fouled out in the third.

So it was truly a team effort as the Breakers still won every quarter and beat Mater Dei, 11-6, for their third win against the Monarchs this season.

Every time Laguna Beach (17-0) has played Mater Dei (12-4) this season has been big. The Breakers beat the Monarchs, 17-3, to win the Holiday Cup on Dec. 30, but the Monarchs have played with junior transfer Bella Baia the last two meetings.

They’ve definitely been closer. Laguna beat Mater Dei by the same 11-6 score last weekend to win the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions. On Saturday, the Breakers got across the board contributions for their second straight big nonleague win, after winning at Corona del Mar, 13-7, on Friday night.

Junior Evan Tingler scored three goals for the second straight game, while Sonne, junior Isabel Riches and the third senior captain, Aria Fischer, all scored twice. Baldridge and junior Alana Evans added one goal each, with Evans also contributing two assists and three steals.

Junior Alex Peros had four assists for the winners, who played on the packed pool deck in their home pool with smaller dimensions. The atmosphere was fun, with Laguna boys’ water polo players standing behind one goal and offering encouragement.

“The last few years we’ve shied away from [playing here], and I think in turn we’ve lost some of our community support playing so many away games,” Laguna Beach Coach Ethan Damato said. “We wanted to get a couple big home games where we could get everybody out here.”

The Breakers never trailed and pulled away a bit late in the first half. With the score tied at 2-2, Mater Dei earned a power play, but Laguna junior goalie Thea Walsh (13 saves) was there to make the block. On the other end, Riches scored to give the Breakers back the lead, then Tingler scored from six meters on an assist from Peros.

Baia put in one of her team-high four goals to bring the Monarchs back within 4-3, but Baldridge added a power-play goal, then Tingler scored again up top for a 6-3 Laguna halftime advantage.

“We got through two really tough games this week,” Damato said. “I don’t know how pretty it was, but [they were] character wins, for sure. I think it builds confidence for our team, that we can get through adversity together. Some girls stepped up big for us today.

“I mean, if you’re a girl like Alana Evans coming out of a game like today, you’ve got to feel good. She didn’t play very much the last time we played them, and she was huge today. It gives herself confidence, and it gives me confidence that we can go a little deeper ... It was a good day. Evan had to match up, and Alex had to match up. Those aren’t kids that normally are matching up with key players, and I thought they stepped up today.”

The Breakers still led by three goals, at 7-4, late in the third quarter. But a Mater Dei communication error resulted in a steal by Evans. Peros assisted Sonne on the counterattack, and Laguna went into the final quarter up four goals.

“That’s a big deal in a big game,” Mater Dei Coach Chris Segesman said. “We can’t make that mistake.”

Still, Segesman was encouraged by the effort from his team, which got two goals and three field blocks from freshman Tea Poljak and 13 saves from junior keeper Marley Presiado.

“I feel like today we did a much better job than when we saw them in Santa Barbara,” Segesman said. “For us, that’s a win, and we’ll just keep chipping away until we meet them again ... I want to keep playing them, because I think we’re closing the gap.

“A few things here, a few things there and the score’s different. It wasn’t like Laguna jumped ahead 5-1, 6-1, and then they pulled on the brakes. We were going at it for four quarters. To me, it just felt like it was a good game for four quarters, and they don’t have many of those games this year. They’re a good team. Usually, they just go on like a seven- or eight-goal run and then they put the brakes on, play some young pups. It was good.”

Mater Dei cut its deficit to 8-5 on a lob goal by Baia with 5:03 remaining, but couldn’t get closer. Evans struck, then assisted Tingler for a goal as Laguna Beach improved to 12-0 all-time against Mater Dei.

Fischer, guarded for much of the game by Mater Dei standout junior Grace Thawley, drew four exclusions and a penalty shot, also getting two field blocks. The field blocks came as part of a Laguna defensive effort that held the Monarchs to two for eight on the power play.

The Breakers have an Orange Coast League game at Costa Mesa on Wednesday before playing host to Newport Harbor on Saturday.

The final tournament of the regular season, the Irvine Southern California Championships, starts Feb. 2.

“At this point in the season, we’ve just been playing really well as a team,” said Riches, who also had two steals. “I’m having fun when we’re playing. In Santa Barbara, we had a lot of fun. Games become easier when we’re all on the same page, and I feel like this team is probably the closest it’s ever been. I’m just really enjoying the team right now.”